If I Die Young
by horsehugger
Summary: Constance Ambrosius died in 1936 inside a lab at the Hoover Dam when an experiment on "the Artifact" went horribly wrong. Now she is on the run from the government for fear of becoming another one of Sector 7's science experiments.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_Hoover Dam, Colorado River, 1936, 17:27 eastern standard time_

_ "All clear, Constance. You may proceed."_ A male voice from an intercom on the wall next to me boomed. The metal walls were bare and windowless. I faced the door before me as the door behind me, which I had entered through, shut with a thud. It was somehow a sound of finality.

My body from head to toe was covered in a white hazmat suit. I had nothing in my hands. The tools would be waiting for me in the next room. I marched stoically to my destination, yet I felt nothing but apprehension. Maybe something in me knew.

The hallway to the next door was fairly short, but it felt several miles long. I stood in front of the next door and waited nervously for the workers in the control room to open it. After a lifetime it slide open and revealed a room just as dull and grey as the hallway.

A smooth metal table stood in the middle of the small room. A smaller table had all the tools I would need already laid out in preparation. A pair of cameras was mounted high on the walls and watched my every move. The men and women watching in a separate room with the aid of said cameras were there to observe the object, but I felt scrutinized nonetheless.

In the back of my mind I remembered the great large mystery only a few rooms away. It sat like dangerous, unknowable fear in the darkest corner of my subconscious. We scientists had been gathered because we found something; something strange, foreign, and utterly alien. This thing, that we simply called "the Artifact", was enormous and cube-shaped. It had to be at least a hundred feet tall and wide. The radiation it emitted was like nothing we had ever seen before and the object itself appeared indestructible, until after years of studying it some of the scientists managed to break off a tiny three-inch-long shard.

The shard sat in a large metal tray on the table I now faced. There was nothing else around it on the smooth metal surface. I was now the one tasked with studying it up close and personal, risking my life for the "progress of science" as my supervisor had put it. Much to everyone's surprise the Cube had healed itself and looked just as it had before we broke off the shard. Everyone saw it as a sign we had found the holy grail of all scientific discoveries. It only left me with an ominous feeling that I was unable to shake, but I couldn't refuse a direct order from Sector 7.

I faced the cameras up on the wall and gave the watchers behind the cameras a look that was read as a question of whether to begin. It also felt like an entreaty for mercy.

_You may begin, Constance,_ the same man droned over the intercom. I vaguely wondered to myself how this unseen man could be so indifferent, but then I remembered I was the one in the room with the radioactive shard and not him. I reached for a set of clamps on the small stand next to the table to begin. I tried to keep my hands steady as I gripped the shard gingerly with the clamps and held it still. With my free right hand I picked up a scalpel from the stand as well. My mission was to cut a thin slice so the material could be looked at through a microscope. I seriously doubted how viable that plan was since it took another team weeks of work to cut loose just one small shard, but unfortunately it wasn't my place to question what I was ordered to do.

With the scalpel resting gently on the shard, I began to sweat. It had already started to bead on my brow before I walked in, but by the time I had the surgical scalpel in hand sweat had wetted my hair which was then stuck to the back of my neck. Taking a deep breath I began to press the scalpel down on the shard. When nothing happened I pressed harder, beyond the light cautious pressure I had been exerting on it to begin with. I continued to increase pressure, albeit extremely slowly, until the scalpel sunk a hair's breadth into the shard. I was so concentrated on watching where my scalpel was I didn't notice at first that the shard was twisting loose of the clamps.

I did thankfully finally spot the potentially fatal error and righted the shard in the clamps so it was secure once more. I considered the relativity of the term of the word "secure" as I continued. This thing was unpredictable and could do anything while I was working on it.

I worked and worked for what felt like hours, but I knew had probably only been about thirty minutes when I nearly had a thing slice of the shard off. It seemed like the closer I got to separating it, the harder it was to cut, but I pressed on. I was finally only a millimeter away from my goal when the thing refused to be cut. I ground my teeth in frustration and pressed harder, then harder still.

It all happened to quickly for my brain to process. I felt my scalpel finally go through the shard and hit the table beneath it. So soon after that it seemed to happen as my scalpel touched the table, a brilliant flash of light blinded me. The next thing I was aware of was that I was lying on my back on the floor. The left side of my chest felt like someone had run a knife into it. Something liquid and warm was filling my hazmat suit rapidly and darkness was creeping from the edges of my vision.

Alarms were going off, lights were flashing, and people were yelling and screaming, but they seemed miles away and I couldn't seem to find a reason to care. It felt like a short time later I was drowning, my vision was going black, and I could no longer hear the wail of sirens and voices, but somehow I wasn't afraid. It was like falling asleep. Before I knew it I was blind, deaf, and numb. My last conscious musing was that I could no longer hear the rush of blood in my ears. After that… I died.


	2. Crash, Bang, Gone

**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! This is my second story, but my first Transformer one. I've been wanting to do one for a long time and am currently planning a second. Feel free to check out my Dead Space story as well. Happy reading!

**Chapter 1**

_ Eisenberg Observatory, just outside city limits of Phoenix, Arizona; June 12__th__, 2011; 21:37 mountain standard time_

"Eddy, do you have the scope positioned yet?" I yelled across the observatory as I calibrated the computer that would allow the telescope to auto-track and record the event.

"Not yet! Working on it!" our intern shouted back in full panic mode. He had the frazzled, fresh-out-of-college air about him that was almost comical.

"You need to work faster," I insisted gently, "We don't get many chances to view something like this."

"Trying!" was his only response as he wiped sweat off his brow and pushed his thick-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"Geez kid, speed it up," Amber, our resident physicist jabbed at him, "At this rate you'll never be good enough to work here."

I was momentarily distracted by this and, without turning to face the raven-haired woman, I shouted over the whirr of the computers, "Give the guy a break. He's new."

"With that attitude, you'd think she sure had a big stick up her ass," Jeremy nudged me playfully with his elbow and gave me his best smirk. He spoke low enough that I could hear him, but Amber couldn't.

"Well, there's not much hope of her ever pulling it out. She seems to enjoy being in a bad mood," I commented with a scoff.

"So what you're saying is that she must really enjoy having that stick up her ass," Jeremy snickered.

"I always did suspect she might be into that kind of shit," I elbowed him back and gave him a co-conspirator's grin. We had gone to college together and taken nearly the same classes. He was easy to get along with. He was still the funny, sweet, blonde jock-look-a-like I saw every day in class. I often joked he was too buff and good looking to be an astronomy nerd, but he always argued confidently that someone had to break the stereotype.

His laughter was contagious and I started up as well. Amber gave us both dirty looks as if she couldn't fathom how anyone could dare be in a good mood while she was around. I knew in all honesty that the only reason she was still working here and hadn't been replaced yet by Eddy was that she was more experienced… and she had the supervisor of the observatory by the balls. Her father was a generous donator to our privately owned lab and without his money we'd all be working at the nearest fast-food joint. We all hated her with a burning passion, but we knew better than to outwardly show it. It always did bother me on a disturbing level when one undeserving person had unfair power and leverage over another.

"All done!" Eddy called with relief and joy as he finished aiming the scope at the area of the sky we would be observing. He had also even finished setting up the smaller and more agile scopes as well. I was proud.

"Cool, we're ready to watch a big meteor crash to earth." He seemed triumphant and I congratulated him on setting up the equipment all by himself. It made me happy that he seemed to genuinely appreciate my compliment. Honestly, it was no easy feat. Our equipment was complex and usually constantly changing as newer and better technology was made and utilized.

"Whoop-di-fucking-do, kid," Amber remarked with near complete disinterest and gave Eddy a cold look, "You aimed a scope. You just passed Astronomy Skills 101 for retards."

"Amber." I warned. She only glanced my way, but thankfully stayed silent. Amber knew she had authority over me, but she also knew her father wouldn't like it if she pissed off their most experienced astrobiologist enough to make her quit. She hated me, but then again the observatory needed me.

"I can see it, guys!" Jeremy called from the viewing screen of the scope. Our scope was so large that a normal viewing lens couldn't be made so we had a wireless camera that picked up the image from the scope and sent it to a monitor we could all watch.

Jeremy had been right. It started out as just a bright ball of light in the far top corner of the scope's field of view, but gradually it began to get closer and arch gracefully across the sky. The closer it got the more detail we could see and the faster it appeared to move. This gave our large scope a workout until it could no longer keep up and the smaller scopes took over, nimbly following the darting object as it hurtled through the sky. Normally we didn't get quite this excited over a meteor, but this one was special. Scans told us it was much larger than the usual baseball or football sized meteor and much denser. Calculations from our dear old Jeremy told us the object was the size of a car and incredibly dense, so it would therefore survive the trip through our atmosphere well.

I watched in utter awe and amazement as the meteor got closer and more detail was visible. I also noticed with bewilderment that I saw debris breaking off of it, but it looked shiny and almost smooth. The others had obviously noticed it too, since I happened to look around long enough to see the puzzled looks on their faces. Meteors were normally shaped like potatoes; lumpy, bumpy, and irregular. This one was shaped like a comet; rounded in front with a tail at the back. My gut told me this wasn't a normal meteor.

A few seconds later we lost sight of the object due to the tree-line, but heard the dull thud as it struck the earth.

"Was it just me, or did that thing look weird?" Eddy said timidly after a tense silence. A silent assent to what he had said was made and we all ignored one another for a moment to think.

"I think we should go find it." I suggested, "It looked strange. This could be a whole new kind of meteorite we've never seen before. We could be sitting only a few miles away from a huge discovery for the scientific community."

"You want us to haul ourselves out in the dark to look for some funky rock?" Amber retorted, "It could have been just something weird with the lens or the wireless camera."

"There's nothing wrong with our equipment." I protested.

"There has to be."

"Well, then I guess it's the purchaser's fault for buying shoddy equipment." I said coolly, "Your daddy did buy this for us, right?" _That pushed the right button_, I mused to myself as I watched Amber's face go beat-red with embarrassment and indignation. She stormed up to me, ready to scream me deaf when Jeremy intervened.

"Whoa, whoa!" he said as he placed himself between me and Amber, "Let's calm down, okay? No need to get your undies in a wad. Let's do this. Anyone who wants to look for the meteorite with us can go and anyone who doesn't can stay here. How 'bout that?"

Amber and I stared each other down for a moment or two, gauging one another's reactions. I looked to Jeremy and said, "I think that's a great idea. It makes everybody happy."

"Then I'm staying here." Amber growled as planted herself in a computer chair and squinted her thickly eyeliner-rimmed eyes at me. Jeremy and I referred to her as the "raccoon" quite often.

"I'll come with you guys." Eddy offered with enthusiasm.

"Awesome. Looks like we have our team." Jeremy concluded with a clap and a wide smile, "Let's get some cameras to take shots of the crash site and containers for the debris." I was uplifted by Eddy and Jeremy's passion and love of the job. It was times like these I felt a sharp pain in my heart knowing it could never last long.

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><p>A light mid-June breeze blew warm air across the dried up riverbed we three were tramping through to find our lost meteorite. The city lights were miles and miles away so the sky was completely filled to the brim with stars. The moon was full and it lighted our way so well that we had no need for flashlights. We had left the Jeep about a half a mile away where we came to the edge of the riverbed so we carried our equipment on our backs and shoulders, but we didn't mind. There was mostly silence on the way, which was fine with me; I knew we were all pondering to ourselves over what the meteorite could be made out of that would give it that shine.<p>

After several long minutes Eddy piped up excitedly, "I can't wait to find this thing! It has to be even bigger than the one that landed around here in '58."

"Yeah, that one was cool to see." I commented without thinking. I immediately regretted saying anything.

"'That one was cool to see'?" Eddy questioned, "There's no way you saw it yourself. None of us had even been born yet."

"Oh, yeah…" I fumbled for an answer, but recovered quickly, "I just meant I read an article on it and thought it stood out among other stories on meteorites I had read. There was picture of it with the article."

"I didn't think they ever wrote an article or got a picture of that one," Eddy looked mildly puzzled, "What magazine or paper did you see it in?"

"You know, it's been so long I don't even remember," my answer came quickly. I had used that line for years on more than one occasion. Eddy, being the kind and naïve boy he was simply took my statement and never questioned it. I was nothing but thankful.

"I wish my family could see this kind of stuff," Jeremy tried to kick start a different conversation as he read that I was uncomfortable with the current one.

"You should bring your brother out some time," I suggested, "It would be good for him to get out of the big city and into the country for while."

"It would be more like dragging him out here," his tone had a hint of sadness and disappointment to it, "He's so stuck on his work in that company, especially after he got that promotion, he thinks about nothing else. He hasn't called in months and well… I haven't been able to think of a reason to bother him." Jeremy said the last words with a tone of finality that said he was done with the subject. Had I known his relationship with his brother had worsened even more as of late I would have never suggested anything of the sort, but Jeremy had been mute on the whole thing for months. I made a mental note to try to catch him alone later and speak to him. I knew he preferred to talk about his problems with only me. An audience just didn't work.

While Eddy wasn't looking I placed a comforting hand on Jeremy's shoulder. He returned my gesture with a weary, but warm, smile. He gave my light brown hair a playful tug to show me he was fine and that his mood was unaffected. I gave him a little shove back. It quickly erupted into an innocent who-can-shove-who-harder match, but soon he nearly sent me flying into a pile of rocks and I almost knocked him into a cactus. By the end of it we were giggling and laughing hysterically. Eddy watched us with an amused grin. _God, am I going to miss these guys when I eventually have to relocate, _I thought with sadness and nostalgia. It bothered me that it seemed to be harder and harder to move on every time I had to, but I shook my fear and focused on the present.

Within minutes I smelled smoke. Something was surely burning; we just couldn't see the smoke because of the darkness of the night. We came to the crest of a hill and stopped in our tracks. A huge, round crater the size of a small car was etched into the ground about fifty feet from where we stood. Trees and brush near the impact were ablaze and the ground was singed black. Thankfully, the vegetation was sparse enough here that it wouldn't start a wildfire.

Curiosity overtaking caution, we all walked towards the crater while tip-toeing over scattered rocks and flames. I pulled out my handheld video camera and began recording as we proceeded towards the meteorite. Jeremy narrated as we went and Eddy pulled out his Nikon to take pictures. From where I stood I couldn't see the actual meteorite, but I hoped to glimpse it soon. I was considering the idea that it had simply broken apart during the impact and would find pieces in the crater, until we stood on the rim of the crater and looked down. There was nothing; no meteorite, no pieces, no smaller debris.

We all looked at one another at once. We all knew something wasn't right.


	3. Take Flight

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews so far! I know my updates have been really fast lately, but sadly that won't continue. Winter break ends tomorrow and I'll be back to school. Ugh. But I will still be updating, just not as quickly. Between school and my other fanfiction that I've been working on for over a year and will not abandon, I have a lot to do. But no worries, the show must go on. Hope you like it so far. Tell me what you guys think! :) Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Logically, it just didn't add up. This massive meteorite that was, according to our scans, denser than anything we had ever seen before had disappeared from the crater it carved into the earth. If it had broken apart we would have been able to find chunks of it scattered around the impact site, but there were none. The crater was deep and distinct; a telling sign that the meteorite had come to rest here and had not skipped along farther like a smooth stone on a lake.

I shook myself from my thoughts to look at my fellow astronomers; both the intern and the astrophysicist. They seemed as deeply puzzled as I was.

"Well, where the hell is it?" Jeremy pretty much summed up the major question on our minds, pulling it from amidst all the other racing thoughts and wonderings now clogging our heads.

"I haven't the foggiest idea." It took me a beat or two longer than it normally would have to answer, and even I could hear the distracted tone in my voice.

"It's got to be here," Eddy protested, more to himself than to us, weakly, "It couldn't have just gotten up and walked away."

"Eddy, keep taking pictures. I want you to document everything," I quickly switched back into boss mode and started planning what needed to be done to preserve and collect as much data as possible. "Jeremy, please help me get some bags. We need to take samples of the soil in and around the crater."

Jeremy walked back up the small hill to where he had left our equipment cart and wheeled it down to be closer to the crater. Once he was within feet of it the radiation detector on the cart started chirping an alarm wildly. I checked the reading on it and found the radiation levels were off the charts, but not a kind of radiation we had ever come across before.

"I think we should wear some gloves." Jeremy stated after all this. I actually laughed despite the weirdness of the whole situation because of the pure absurdness of his remark.

"A hazmat suit wouldn't protect us from those levels of radiation if it's dangerous, let along some rubber gloves." _It didn't do me any good before,_ I added mentally.

"So I'm gonna do this and make history all on my own?" He said as he gave me a knowing smile. I sighed in defeat. Of course I would never let him do it himself as I watched. I loved this job as much as him and this opportunity was a once in a lifetime deal.

"Hand me some gloves." I smiled wryly at him and accepted the gloves once he offered them to me. I pulled them on quickly and got to work straight away. The sounds of the crackling of the few small fires that were still burning and the snap of the shutter of Eddy's camera faded in to the background as I worked. Jeremy was in the crater as I circled its outer edge looking for clues as to where the meteorite had gone. I paused when I found odd indentations in the dirt. They looked regular and ordered, not random and varying like impacts from smaller debris. They almost looked like footprints made by someone wearing shoes, but they were larger and much deeper than any normal human could make.

Nose nearly to the ground in concentration, I followed the prints until I came to a dense grove of thorn bushes that completely barred my path. Frustrated, I retraced my steps and began examining the prints with a magnifying glass closer to the crater. I felt like the more I studied the impact zone the less answers and the more questions I had. I squatted over an exceptionally interesting impression when something broke my concentration. It wasn't a noise that had alerted me, but the absence of one. I realized quickly that I could no longer hear the sound of Eddy's camera clicking as it took pictures.

"Guys, did you hear that?" Eddy asked Jeremy and me before I could look up to see what the matter was. Neither of us had heard anything and answered him with silent shaking of our heads. We were all listening hard, trying to hear what Eddy had. I could feel goosebumps forming on my arms and the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

After a few moments I heard it too. It sounded like wailing far off in the distance on the opposite side of the crater as the riverbed was. It got closer and closer as the minutes ticked by and I recognized it as sirens, like those on a police car. Before long the flash of red and blue lights was visible from behind the cloak of a long wall of more thorn bushes. Before we knew how to react, nearly half a dozen black SUVs came barreling into the clearing and came to a skidding halt only twenty feet from us and the crater. Men in black suits and ties came pouring out of the vehicles, guns drawn, but they seemed more interested in the crater than us. They all looked like government agents, but I didn't want to take any chances.

Jeremy nudged me, scared stiff, and asked what we should do. "Run," was my terrified answer. Eddy heard us and took off running at the same time as we did, following us the best he could since he had been a few feet away. We darted up the hill as fast as we could, abandoning the cart and the rest of our equipment as the men that had climbed out of the SUVs chased after us and called for us to "get down on the ground." We followed the riverbed we had taken to get there, but chose to hop the bank and rush into the weeds and tall bushes after the reports from several firearms were heard. The vegetation was tall enough to conceal us as we ran so we lost sight of the men in seconds, but could still hear them.

I sprinted with them the half mile back to the Jeep, praying we wouldn't be caught before we could start it and make a fast getaway. Beyond all belief we were alone when we reached the car, the sound of the men behind us long gone, and all hopped in fast as lightning. Jeremy had the engine on and the Jeep in gear in a flash and before I knew it we were tearing across the desert back to the observatory. We reached it in record time.

I slammed the door shut and bolted it behind me as soon as all three of us were back inside. We raced back up to the top of the scope tower in a panic. I shut and locked that door as well. Amber was nowhere to be seen, which suited me just fine. I didn't want to have to explain to her what happened, at least not yet. I would eventually have to tell her how we had managed to lose most of our equipment, but that could wait.

We all collapsed into chairs, trying to catch our breath. I tried to ignore the sick feeling in my gut, but it became harder and harder to pretend it wasn't there. An eternity later, Eddy spoke.

"Who were those people?" He voice was the quietest I had ever heard it. His black hair was slick with sweat and his green eyes were wide with fear.

"I have no idea," I said just as quietly, "But whoever they are, they're looking for us right now."

"Do you think they'll be able to find us?" His voice was laced with pure fear.

"We left some pretty good tire tracks." I explained morbidly, "But they don't even have to follow those here. We left our equipment back by the crater and it's got the observatory's name plastered all over it." I noticed Eddy still had his camera dangling around his neck from its strap. I then looked down and realized I still had my camcorder hanging from a cord on my belt.

Jeremy had been cradling his face in his palms up until now, but he looked up and his blue eyes shone with terror. "We need to get out of here. If they find us there's no telling-"

He was cut off by a loud bang below us followed by the thudding of many feet on the stairs up to the scope tower. We were frozen as we watched the door to the room quiver under the impact of something and then fall to the floor with a crash. Men in black suits, the same as the ones at the clearing, filed into the room while aiming their guns at us. About two dozen formed a semicircle around us about ten feet away, blocking off any hope of escape. They were all silent except for one man that yelled for us to put our hands in the air. We obeyed readily.

A few seconds later, from the depths of the staircase came the sound of one set of feet. I could only see the top of his head at first, but the line of suits parted like the Red Sea before him as he walked towards us. He was a middle-aged man with black hair that was greying and a sharp nose, dressed in a suit like the others. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they conveyed a sense of amused authority in them. It almost annoyed me, but I was too distracted by my pounding heart to really notice. He was in shape for his age, but had a weary air to his stance.

"Well, hello there." The man said with a haughty smile, "Good to see you guys again after you tried to give us the slip." His New York accent seemed mismatched with his extremely serious dress and entourage.

"Who are you?" Jeremy demanded. He had caught the smug look on the man's face and hadn't liked it. I shot him a warning glance, trying to tell him wordlessly not to be stupid.

"I," the man paused for emphasis, "am Agent Simmons. We are from Sector 7 and we were wondering why you guys were down looking at that crater not too long ago."

_No, it can't be them,_ I thought frantically.

"We observed a meteorite falling to earth and went to find it." I said simply and sharply.

"Why did you feel the need to go out and look for it?" Simmons prodded, "Was there something special about it that made you want to go find it?"

"No." I said quickly before Eddy, who looked like he was about to break down and confess everything, could speak.

"What do you say, kid?" Simmons looked to Eddy causally, "Is your friend here telling the truth." Eddy pursed his lips and nodded rapidly as tears started to brim in his eyes.

"And what do you think, sir?" Simmons then addressed Jeremy. I cringed, waiting for the inevitable.

"I think you should leave us the hell alone and let us continue our work in peace." Jeremy replied with anger dripping from his every word, yet his tone was still civil. He was normally mellow and slow to anger, but when someone messed with his friends, and it seemed especially me, he tended to react like this.

"Ya know what I think?" Simmons wasn't looking for an answer and only paused to let it sink in, "I think you guys are hiding something from us. Hey boys-" he then addressed the men around him, "-they look a little guilty, don't they?"

"What do you want from us?" I asked with annoyance, sick of his toying with us.

"I wanna know why you guys were at that crater and I wanna know the truth _now_," he paused again and the smile fled from his face, "or you're all spending the rest of your lives in jail."

Eddy began to shake with his subdued sobs. I could feel my adrenaline still pumping and my heart was pounding. Jeremy had a wild-eyed fearful look that made me worry for him.

"Now I'll ask you again," Simmons took a few steps towards us and got close to each of our faces in turn, "What was it about that meteorite that made you want to find it?" He was answered with stony silence.

"Fine, have it your way. You're all coming with us for questioning," Simmons announced after a few more heavy moments of quiet, "And trust me, we'll get what we want one way or another." He enunciated each word as if to make his point even clearer. His threat did not fall on deaf ears; my heart raced even faster, Jeremy went visibly pale, and Eddy began to cry aloud. I felt nothing but sympathy for the poor kid and I only wanted to go and comfort Jeremy.

Suddenly a bag was pulled over my head, blinding me, and my hands were yanked behind my back. I panicked when I could no longer see and it was harder to breath. I heard the clicking of handcuffs and the cold touch of metal around my wrists. A panic I couldn't suppress rose up in me when my airway began to close, but my struggle was futile. The last thing I remembered was the muffled sounds of my friends calling out for help and the feeling of something hard, possibly metal, striking me on the side of my head, knocking me out.


	4. Lying Game

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! New update! Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year! Thanks to everyone who reviewed so far. I love getting reviews and you guys have written lots! :) So things are getting sticky for Connie. And we're going to learn some important stuff from her past. ;) Hope you love it! Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

_I wake to silence all around me. The air is cold. The ground is cold. I am cold. I open my eyes: darkness. Nothing feels quite right. Something is wrong._

_ I listen for a voice, a sound, anything. Nothing. I look around and all I see is grey. My heart begins to race. This surprises me. It shouldn't be beating. Right before everything went black it had stopped. I look up again and everything is clear. I recognize this place, but not because I have seen it before. I have seen enough crime shows to know it well; I am in a morgue. Silver cabinets and black counter tops. Instruments and tools of steel and rubber._

_ It is only now after my mind has cleared that I realize my heart _should_ be beating. 'Was I dead?' The question rings in my head several times before I can stop it. It couldn't be. I can feel my heart pump, my breath come in and out. I am alive. That much is clear._

_ I look down at myself. I am stark naked except for a white cloth that covers me from head to toe. The table I lie on is metallic and cold. I try to sit up, but at first my strength fails me. I try again and this time I manage. Sitting on the table, the silence around me, knowing people think me dead yet here I sit alive, creates such a surreal and profound moment I am momentarily lost in the awe of it all. I feel like a monstrosity; a corpse risen from the grave._

_ I step off the table carefully, momentarily forgetting myself as I let the cloth slip from my bare form. I stand on my own two feet, awkwardly at first like a newborn animal, but soon I begin to feel like my old self._

_I gaze around the room and see my soiled clothes. It suddenly comes flooding back to me: the shard, the explosion, the pain, and then the overwhelming darkness! I nearly collapse to the floor when the realization that I should be dead hits me. In a desperate attempt to find something I recognize, something to ground myself in all this wild uncertainty, I wildly look around the room. I see my clothes again and dash over to them, flailing my arms to keep my balance. I put on my uniform in a trance like state, soothed and numbed by the motions long ago made routine._

_Only once I have my shirt on do I see the hole in the fabric over my left breast right where my heart is. Next to my clothes is a manila file folder. I pick it up and open it. I find papers and photos inside. The mortician's report is on the very top. I read it: "Cause of Death: shrapnel piercing the heart. Massive and traumatic blood loss."_

_I pick up a photo just behind the paper. A larger version of my ID photo. It has "deceased" stamped over it in red ink._

Consciousness returned to me finally after what must have been hours. A bright light blinded me for a moment, but my eyes adjusted swiftly. I found I was sitting bolt upright in a metal chair, my wrists handcuffed to the bars that formed the back. The room was small and stark white. A steel table was in front of me. I followed the surface with my eyes and found Agent Simmons sitting opposite me in a relaxed position.

"Glad to see you decided to join us again, Ms. Ambrosius." He said with the same smirk as he threw a manila file folder on the table between us. It fell open and he began to leaf through it as I watched. Somehow his words sent a chill down my spine, but I was slightly distracted by ringing in my left ear. I looked around the room and spotted cameras mounted on the corners of the walls and a large, wide mirror (that I seriously suspected was one-way glass) behind Agent Simmons.

These people were Sector 7 and I was on edge. The first moment I heard "Sector 7" in the observatory a flood of old memories and fears rose up and nearly drowned me. Everything had happened too quickly for me to react so the panic hadn't set in yet. Now, I could feel my skin crawling and urge to throw up as increasing.

My mind's eye went back to the day in the lab under the Hoover Dam. Watching Simmons flip though files brought me back to- I pushed the thoughts out of my head knowing if I continued to linger on them it might send me over the edge. I only prayed that they wouldn't figure out I had worked for them long ago. That would lead to questions, and questions were what I definitely needed to avoid. The only thing I could count on was that anyone who would recognize me would already be dead or absolutely ancient.

"How are you feeling?" Simmons broke through my thoughts. I winced a bit at his voice since the sound seeming loud in the quiet of the room. My ears were extra sensitive due to the blow to the head I had taken. Simmons seemed to notice.

"Ah, yes," Simmons said, catching my attention again, "sorry about that. We have a new agent and he got a little… um, carried away." His smile was gone and he seemed actually sincere so I nodded my head in acknowledgment of his apology.

"No need to apologize to her, agent Simmons," a man I had never seen before entered the room from a door that fit seamlessly with the wall, "If she hadn't resisted your agent would have had no reason to physically subdue her." Both his glasses and his scalp peeking out from under his thinning brown hair shone in the light of the fixture above.

"But did your men at least have the common courtesy to have a medic check her?" Simmons addressed the man.

"We had her checked for wounds," the arrogant man gave me a suspicious look, "There were none. No thanks to the training your agents appear to be getting nowadays."

"Ms. Ambrosius, this is Mr. Galloway, the U.S. National Security Advisor" Simmons introduced the man as if he was forcefully saddled with delivering a bit of inconvenient and annoying news.

"So, I hear you had your eyes on a meteorite that landed in the desert outside of Phoenix," Galloway leveled his eyes at me, his tone superior and patronizing, "Since you wouldn't tell our S7 agents why you and your little friends were down there, you'd better start talking to me." I didn't respond to his words in any way. I had to think this through, but I was running out of time. I knew how these men worked; I needed to play the role of the local yokel who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Only then would I get out of this unscathed.

"Do you think this is a game, Ms. Ambrosius?" Galloway suddenly flared with indignation when I didn't respond. I mentally noted with amusement how easily it was to upset him. "I don't think you realize the serious trouble you are in, young lady."

_Young lady?_ I bridled at bit at his words, _I'm so much older than him I could be his grandmother._

"No, sir." I shifted in my chair uncomfortably. I was civil, but I didn't use the kindest of tones.

"Good." Galloway smirked and leaned back in his chair, "Looks like we're getting somewhere." He then turned to Simmons and said, "Seems I'm getting more cooperation than you did. You may want to pay attention." Simmons nodded disinterestedly, but I saw him roll his eyes as soon as Galloway looked back to me.

"So why did you go find that meteorite?" Galloway leaned forward in his chair. I assumed he was trying to look intimidating. He reminded me more of a computer nerd that once asked me out in high school, leaning forward in vain and desperate hope I would say yes to a date.

"We saw it fall and thought it would be cool to find." I dumbed down my answer just enough; short, dumb, and naïve.

"And we found you guys at the sight. What did you find?" Galloway followed up quickly, as if his speed of his questions would make me slip up and confess something accidently.

"We didn't find a meteorite in the crater so we assumed it broke apart and shattered on impact." I shrugged my shoulders simply.

"So why did you run?" Galloway laced his fingers and looked smug, as if this was all part of his plan and he had me right where he wanted me.

"Phoenix is a big city so it has gangs. We saw guns and thought you were going to kill us. You didn't announce yourselves like the police so we thought you were criminals."

Galloway looked disappointed by my answers. I knew he was looking for something to hang me with, but my utter lack of incriminating testimony left him with little material for even the rope.

"Uh huh, you sure are makin' her talk." Simmons looked anything but interested.

"What are you implying, Agent Simmons?" Galloway turned on Simmons with anger in his eyes, "Are you trying to say that I can't tell when someone is lying and when they're telling the truth?"

"Listen, Galloway, I've been at this for years," Simmons said like he was explaining something to someone who was rather slow, "I can look in her eyes and know that she's lying to your face right now."

"Look at her, Simmons!" Galloway exclaimed with a gesture towards me, "She's just a scientist from a little private observatory in the middle of the desert. Yes, she has 'threat to national security' written all over her." Galloway looked at Simmons as if he were crazy. I had to hand it to Simmons, he had an eye for lying. And an eye for stupid.

"I'm going to prove to you that's she lying," Simmons stared the man down, "Her and those other two aren't as innocent as they'd like to have you think."

"Give it a rest, Simmons." Galloway just shook his head at the man as he stood to leave, "I think you boys down in Sector 7 have just been chasing conspiracies for too long now."

"And I think you boys on Capitol Hill have been pushing papers for too long." Simmons retorted as Galloway walked out the door. A few seconds after the door shut he turned to look at me.

"I know you're hiding something." Simmons held up my camcorder for me to see, "And I have the proof right here."

_Oh crap,_ I thought, _how can this get any worse?_

"But I'm not going to turn you in right now," Simmons explained, "You're gonna stay here while I think of what to do." I was surprised by the lack of malice or smugness in his voice. "I'll fill you in on what you need to know later," he ended with.

A snap of his fingers later, two men in suits uncuffed me from my chair, blindfolded me, and led me away.


	5. Job Offer

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! New chapter! So, Connie's still stuck in government custody and things aren't really going her way. Hopefully things will start looking up. Huge thanks to everyone that reviewed and favorited this story so far. There were a couple of reviews I particularly like. I love when people write longer reviews and tell me specific things they like. It not only makes my day, but it also helps me figure out what I'm going right and what I'm doing... not so right, haha. Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

I was still blindfolded when I was sat down in another chair. The echoes of the men's shoes told me it was a small room, smaller than the one I had been interrogated in. The room was cool and the metal chair was even colder on my skin. I had on shorts and a t-shirt so I felt chilled.

I don't know how long I sat there, cuffed to the chair. It had to be hours. I dosed off several times, but never felt very refreshed from my slumber seeing as how brief it was. Mostly I sat awake and worried; worried why they left me here, worried what they were planning to do to me, worried if I would ever see the world outside those walls again. Time dragged on until I began to lose hope that they would ever let me out of the room. I couldn't go to jail for the rest of my life. They would so easily learn my secret there as years passed and I looked the same.

Despite all my worry I remained calm and composed. I began to think about Jeremy and Eddy. I thought about our time together in the lab and our outings together. We had become a close trio in only a year's time. Jeremy had been my best friend for years and would do anything for me. I amused myself with the mental image of him beating up all the agents and knocking down the door. Then in my head we run out together with Eddy in tow, fighting as we go. I save Jeremy from a bullet by yanking him out of the way and we escape without a scratch.

Finally to my sheer relief the door opened, putting a pause on my mental movie. The sound of only one set of feet sounded in the room. It came close and my blindfold was pulled off. I was once again blinded by a bright light until my eyes adjusted. The room was white and smaller than the other- I had been right- and a small metal table stood in front of me. There were no mirrors or windows. Across from me Simmons, alone, settled himself into the chair.

He only sat there and stared at me awhile. His expression was that of quiet observation, but also ravenous curiosity. He looked at me like he had found something unusual and therefore valuable. He eyes bored into me like he knew something and I started to sweat out of paranoia.

"You're something special, you know that?" He smiled slightly.

"How so?" I asked with just the right mix of naivety and ignorance.

"You deserve an Oscar for that innocent act, Miss Ambrosius." Simmons leaned forward in his chair, but not with the crazed instability I sensed in Galloway. "Galloway may buy it, but I don't."

"I don't understand what you're getting at." I was terrified he had figured out my dark secret, but I knew better than to jump to conclusions. It had to be something else.

"Although, I can see why you pull it off so easily," he continued, ignoring my question, "Your background check shows you grew up in Illinois, went to a college in Arizona, and got a job there at Eisenberg Observatory. No legal record. But I know you're not some run-of-the-mill rock chaser from the desert."

"What am I, then?" I asked when several seconds of heavy silence passed between us.

Simmons' smile faded and he became steely serious. "You're the smart little wallflower that no one sees, but who sees everyone and everything. You _knew_ that meteorite was something strange and you went out looking for it. So, what did you see that made you so curious?"

When I didn't answer he said, "Anything you say to me stays within my sector. Galloway's washed his hands of you so feel free to say what you want. I have no desire to put you in jail. That is, if you answer my questions honestly."

I thought it over for a minute or two. I finally decided that if I had to spill my guts to get out of this I would rather talk to Simmons than to Galloway and I could tell without a doubt that what he said was genuine.

"Our scopes told us it had a smooth, reflective surface like metal," I started after a deep breath, "It was much larger and shaped almost perfectly like a comet, which is extremely unusual for a meteorite."

"And when you found it?" Simmons prompted.

"We didn't. It was gone." I replied simply.

"Anything else interesting?"

"Yeah." I hesitated. I had been rolling some thoughts around in my head and tried to order them so I could speak, "There was no reason why it should have been gone. It should have either been whole in the crater or the broken debris should have been scattered around the impact zone. There was _nothing_."

"Like it just got up and walked away, huh?" Simmons laughed it off like it was ridiculous. But when I caught the slight glint in his eyes it suddenly hit me.

"Maybe it did." I stared Simmons down, keeping watch for any hit of betrayal on his face. The memory of the marks in the dirt that looked like footprints flashed to the front of my mind.

"I knew I liked you for a reason." A triumphant smile graced his face. It was void of smugness and seemed to be something rarely seen.

"Why?"

"You see things no one else sees." He shrugged his shoulders like it was obvious, "You have skills that would be very useful to our organization."

"What organization is that?" I asked suspiciously.

"See, the problem is I can't tell you anything until you agree to work for us." Simmons started to explain, but I cut him off.

"I knew there would be a catch." I sighed, "And if I don't want to work for you?"

"Unfortunately, you already know too much and you'd be sentenced to life in a maximum security prison." Simmons laced his fingers together and looked disappointed, "All records of you would be destroyed and it would be as if you never existed."

I thought this over for a few minutes. I didn't want to spend years in prison; I couldn't. That would be a one way ticket to revealing my past and there was no way I was going to become some freak that scientists experimented on. I valued my freedom too much and it was the damned S7 that had gotten me into my current situation anyway. It pissed me off that my choice was between being their prisoner and being their employee once again, but what could I do? It occurred to me that I would much rather work than go to prison. I could much more easily get out if I was trusted.

I felt like I was having leverage used against me, but then I hit me; two could play at that game. Simmons said that I was valuable, so logic told me I could use leverage against him.

"Okay, I'll work for your guys," I paused to enjoy the fact that I'd soon wipe the smile off his face, "But only on one condition." This definitely surprised Simmons, but he didn't get angry.

"We'll see." He smirked, as if he found it so surprising it was funny, "What's your 'condition'?" He put his hands up and mimed quotation marks with two fingers on each hand.

"Jeremy and Eddy go free. No prison. No harassment. They go back to work for the observatory without any problems." My words were met with laughter, then contemplative silence.

"Why are you so worried about them? They're just your coworkers."

"They're my friends and I don't want them to have to choose between working for you and jail for the rest of their lives."

"Fair enough." Simmons sighed and snapped his fingers. The door opened and a man handed him a metal box and a few papers. Simmons set them down on the table and dismissed the suited man from the room. He set the papers in front of me and handed me a pen from his pocket.

"Sign this contract and you'll officially be working for us." He tapped an empty line with a finger, indicating where to sign, "We're typing up a contract as we speak that will let your little friends go as well. Once you do that I can fill you in on who you will be exactly working for and what you'll be doing."

After reading the contract I let it all sink in. I was shocked at its brevity and simplicity. I basically stated that I would work for "an organization" for as long as they required me and if my work was terminated I would go straight to jail for the rest of my life. I picked up the pen and put it to the paper, but didn't sign right away. I felt like I was signing my life away to and it made me hesitate, but I reminded myself that I was doing this more for my friends than my own freedom. Thinking of Eddy and especially Jeremy made writing my name easy. Before I knew it my name was scrawled in flourished cursive on the paper and Simmons took it from in front of me.

"Thank you." Simmons said as he set the paper aside. He repeated the sentiment to a man that came in with another paper and left just a quickly.

"Here." Simmons set the second paper in front of me, "That sets your boyfriend and your intern free. Sign here." He indicated a line.

"Jeremy's not my boyfriend." I corrected gently, "But he is an amazing friend. Best I've ever had." I meant this with my whole heart.

"Could'a fooled me." Simmons said with amusement. I rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking. He thankfully didn't watch as I read the contract and signed it when I found it satisfactory. It said that Jeremy and Eddy would be set free under threat that if they spoke of what they saw or heard they would spend their lives in jail. They would remain free as long as I worked for the "organization". The only termination of my work that wouldn't result in their being thrown into jail was if I died or if the "organization" dismissed me themselves. Jeremy and Eddy would know nothing of my fate. That last bit killed me inside, but I would have to live with that.

Simmons took this paper as well, put both of them aside, then set the metal box in front of us. He opened it with a code, pulled out a small silver object about the size of a large grape, and set it on the table gingerly. I looked more closely at it and found it appeared to be a small chunk of silver metal. For some reason something drew me to this object, like I knew exactly what it was. Images of the meteorite flashed through my mind and I knew it was the same material the meteorite was made of.

"I take it from the look on your face you recognize this." His New York accent made his slight amusement all the more pronounced.

"The meteorite must have been made out of that metal." I answered.

"Bingo!" Simmons' voice echoed off the walls. He looked happy, almost proud.

"Is this some kind of test?" I asked.

"Kind of," he replied, "My own observations of you wouldn't be good enough to convince the big boys to hire you so I thought I'd get some solid proof of your talent for observation."

"Is that why you wanted to hire me?" I was tired so my questions were short.

"One of the reasons." He looked at me as he continued, "You're not only very observant, but you show extreme composure in unusual and stressful situations. You stood up to my men and even Galloway without batting an eye. You lied to our faces with ease. From your behavior and your high school and college records anyone could tell you're also highly intelligent." I wanted to laugh at the fact that he had no idea that I had forged my high school records. They were grades I had earned, albeit back in the 20's, but I made sure I always paid off some shmuck from a school to make records of me being there so they coincided with my college records. It was easy. Almost too easy.

"So what exactly will I be doing in this job? Something that might get me killed?" I yawned, "Who will I be working for?"

"Well, I can tell you right now that you won't be doing anything that will put you directly in harm's way." Simmons seemed to be holding something back for a moment, but went on, "But remember, you'll be working for the government and another… party. Both the US government and this party have enemies and potentially you _could_ end up in the crossfire, but I seriously doubt it."

"So where does this meteorite and my new 'job' tie in?" If I hadn't been so exhausted I would have found it funny that it seemed I was the one interrogating him and not the other way around.

"Do you believe in aliens?" He looked me squarely in the eyes as he said it. I was momentarily taken aback by his bluntness.

"I…um..." I didn't know what to say. I couldn't figure out the logic of his question.

"As an astrobiologist, a scientist, do you believe that extraterrestrials could exist?" He said with the same solemnity.

"Of course." I answered slowly, "The evidence that life could exist out there is overwhelming. The sheer notion that we are the sole living beings in this entire vast universe is both arrogant and ignorant."

"Do you think we could live in peace with them if we made contact?" Again, the stern gaze.

"If they wished to have peace between us and meant us no harm, of course." I began to wonder nervously at his questions, "It would be a wonderful opportunity to be involved with and learn from beings advanced enough communicate with us."

"Good to know you think so." Simmons said with a small smile. He quickly put the metal chunk away, gathered up the papers, pocketed his pen, and stood.

"In a few hours you'll be escorted onto a plane that will fly you to the base you will be working and living in from now on. En route I will explain to you your job description, if you want to call it that, and once inside you will get to meet the people you'll be working for. Until then… I'd suggest getting some rest."

He looked at me a moment then said, "Look, if you promise not to do anything _stupid_, like hit me, I'll uncuff you and see if I can't get a cot for you to sleep on."

"Okay, I promise." I nodded. With that he unhooked my cuffs both from the chair and my wrists. I stood and stretched, incredibly grateful that I was once more able to move around. It felt like I hadn't moved in eons.

"Alrighty then," Simmons stepped towards the door and opened it. He was handed a small foldable cot. He set it on the floor by the table, far away from the door and said, "Now get some sleep. Big day for you tomorrow." With that he left and the door shut behind him. Suddenly the lights in the room dimmed till they were nearly out. I was rather thankful I wouldn't have to try to sleep with the bright lights on, but something told me I would have fallen asleep easily anyway.

I lowered myself to the cot and got comfortable. It wasn't like a bed with a mattress, but I wasn't complaining. Before I knew it, despite all the questions and strange things bouncing around in my head, I slipped into a somewhat restless slumber.


	6. Heart Strings

**Author's Note: FINALLY!** Finally I've updated! Sorry, sorry, sorry for the long wait guys. School has been CRAAAAAAAAAAZZZZYYYY! I'm finally done so I can write again, yeah! So, if you've followed this far I'm sure you're familiar with what's been going on (and it's just past midnight here so I'm too pooped to write a decent author's note). I really like the next chapter so you can assume it will be up fairly quickly. Thanks for all the reviews and fav's guys! Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

A hand shook my shoulder, pulling me from my slumber. The bright lights were back- oh joy- and my head was pounding, probably because I hadn't slept for very long. I looked up and found Simmons standing over me. I recognized him, but it took my mind a few seconds to remember why he was even there.

"Time to get up, kiddo." He gave my shoulder a firm pat and stepped back, "Don't wanna miss your first day of your new job, do ya?"

"Can I call in sick?" I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I stood up, feeling my joints popping and clicking. "Or dead?"

"Nope." Simmons replied quickly, but with humor. I huffed in frustration and righted my shirt which had gotten funked up while I had been sleeping.

"Follow me." Simmons told me over his shoulder as he walked out of the small room. I was momentarily shocked that I wasn't being blindfolded or cuffed. I was cautious as I followed him out into a white hallway and past a few pairs of suited men, I assumed guards, on the way. After several minutes of random turns and endless hallways we neared a door, under which I could see daylight shining, and a new sound could be heard aside from the tapping of our own feet. It sounded like a horde of bees was waiting just outside the door.

Simmons pushed the door open and held it for me. I walked out and was greeted by the sight of a large jet sitting on the tarmac I was standing on. It was white and silver with black markings, but otherwise very nondescript. The engines were whirring at a deafening volume and the area around it was crawling with men in black suits and even soldiers in uniform; all in all a very intimidating scene. I kept feeling like Simmons had lied to me and they were taking me away to be locked up in prison, partly because walking around these men without cuffs felt too good to be true.

I didn't let my worry show, despite the buzzing of my thoughts. The sound must have been similar to the jet in front of me. I stopped and waited for Simmons as soon as I got outside. I may not have been restrained, but I knew how to mind my manners.

"Hurry this way." Simmons gestured towards the plane.

"Even though I'm sure they're waiting for us." I replied.

"What makes you say that?" Simmons eyed me with an amused expression.

"Well, for one, no one else is getting on," I stated matter-of-factly, "and something tells me you guys don't hand out a lot of job offers like mine."

"Still, best to be safe than sorry." He looked at me with a grin that said he knew something I didn't, "And with your career field and expertise, this is the one plane you _don't_ want to miss."

We boarded the plane. I sat down in a comfy leather seat and was absorbed by the luxury of the plane. Everything was sleek and modern-looking. There were TV screens on the walls, wide leather seats, plush cream-colored carpet, and lights sunk into the ceiling at regular intervals. It looked more like a billionaire music mogul's private jet than a government plane. Simmons said something to one of the stewards and sat down in the seat beside me. We were in the middle, away from the windows.

_Geez,_ I thought, _what do they think I'm going to do? Jump out?_

"Like what you see?" Simmons said, indicating the whole cabin with a wide wave of his hand.

"It's… fancy." Was all I could think to say.

"Well, get used to it," Simmons said casually, "because you'll be seeing a lot more high-tech stuff from now on." He said this with a knowing expression. I pretended to blow it off, but internally I knew it meant more than I understood at the time. I was still trying to mull over the possibility that I could be working with aliens in my new job. After Simmons asked me my opinion on their potential existence and remembering the odd absence of the meteorite I had a sneaky hunch of what I was in for.

_Maybe I've got a new gig at Area 51,_ I thought a bit of excitement. _After hearing so much about that place it sure would be something to work there._

"Would you like a drink? Something to eat?" Simmons asked me, drawing me from my thoughts.

"Got any soda? A Pepsi, maybe?" I asked politely, "And anything in the way of food, really." I added after my stomach let out a pathetic moan. I hadn't eaten anything since lunch the day they had arrested me, Jeremy, and Eddy. Who knew how long they had kept me locked in that building.

Simmons nodded, spoke quietly to a stewardess, and we both watched as she walked to the back of the plane to get my food.

"How long's the flight?" I asked.

"About an hour or so." Simmons replied, then addressed another stewardess, "Would you be so kind as to bring me a DVD?"

"Which one, sir?"

"From the pile that I keep in the back." Simmons waved a hand dismissively, "Any one will do."

Before long the first stewardess had returned with my meal- a Pepsi and a cheeseburger, which was perfect- and the second had popped in a DVD. Simmons explained that the flight could get boring and that he wanted me to be relaxed for my first meeting with my new employers.

Simmons seemed pleased with the stewardess' choice. To my surprise it was an alien, science-fictiony flick. It didn't take long for short grey creatures with the bulbous heads and big eyes to start appearing. About halfway through I turned to Simmons and said, "So, are you preparing me to meet my new coworkers?"

"Now when did I ever say you were gonna be working with little green men? Or at Area 51?" He laughed at me.

"You never said it. You implied it." I retorted with humor.

"No, I definitely never meant that you'd be working with little critters like E.T." Simmons was chuckling to himself afterward. I simply rolled my eyes in response, but truthfully I was disappointed that I wouldn't get to see any aliens. I simply reasoned now that he had been asking me things about aliens to see if I would be willing to help in a secret extraterrestrial contact program.

_Bummer,_ I thought a bit glumly. _Being a scientist around aliens would have been pretty groovy._

The rest of the flight went without many more interesting events. The aliens proved to be benevolent, but of course didn't stick around for long. I did enjoy the fact that they hadn't been out to destroy the Earth like so many films portrayed them doing. Not long after Simmons informed me we were descending and not long after that I could feel the wheels of the jet hit the ground.

I was soon led to a vehicle identical to the ones we encountered when we investigated the impact sight of the meteorite. My first instinct was to prepare to be cuffed and shoved in the back seat. To my momentary surprise Simmons directed me to the front passenger side of the car. I climbed in as he took the wheel, leaving the guards and other agents behind. Several nondescript metal buildings sat around the tarmac, which Simmons deftly navigated around to stop at a gate posted with armed guards. They had on military uniforms and looked grim and authoritative, but I figured that was the whole point.

Silence filled the car as the pavement suddenly gave way to a dirt road. It looked like the desert dirt I was used to, but I had a feeling I wasn't in Arizona anymore. After several long minutes of traveling along the winding dirt path Simmons pulled on to a deserted highway that soon came to life with what I suspected to be the beginnings of morning rush hour.

We had been driving for over twenty minutes when Simmons turned to me momentarily and said, "You look nervous."

I turned to him, sighed, and shrugged my shoulder in response. Simmons seemed in no way bothered by my vague answer.

"So the junk food and movie didn't do it for ya?" Simmons inquired. I shook my head at him in response, but with a small smile on my face. Soda had sugar and sugar only jacked up my nerves at times like these. And the movie just left my head buzzing.

"What's wrong?" he frowned. "Don't go mute on me now, kid. You used that silver tongue of yours to throw Galloway off your trail and talked me into setting your little friends free. Why aren't you talking now like you were in earlier?"

"I've learned that if it's not necessary to say something, it's best not to say anything at all." I said out loud for the first time one of the bits of advice my life was basically built upon.

"Good point." Simmons nodded slightly. "What's got you bothered?"

"Just wondering why you haven't told me any specifics on my job yet." I answered quietly. It felt inappropriate to speak up in the sudden hush in the car. "Makes me feel like you're going to pull over and snuff me at any second." I tried to inject some humor into my voice, but even I could tell it fell flat.

"I wouldn't do that," Simmons looked at me seriously, "You're too valuable of an employee. Anyway, I like you too much to ever do it myself." He added the last bit with a smile.

"But I haven't even had any time on the job yet to show you that I'm valuable." I wasn't trying to convince him to shoot me, but I was confused as to why he said such a thing.

"I already explained." Simmons rolled his eyes, "You have the kind of level-headedness and experience needed for a job like this."

"You're straying from my point. You haven't told me anything about my job." I knew he was flattering me, hoping I'd take the bait and change the course of the conversation. I wasn't one to enjoy talking about myself.

"Alright, alright." Simmons seemed only half serious so I let it go, "I know we could use your personal traits. It makes you a great agent. I'm not quite sure what your actual job title will be though."

"Why wouldn't you know where they'll put me?" It dawned on me as I asked the question so I followed with, "Have you not told them you're bringing me?" The look on his face said it all.

"Not exactly." I knew he had been avoiding telling me this, so the look on his face was understandably strained, "They know we arrested you, though." He smiled as if that were enough to make me feel better.

"So… what happens when we get there?"

"Um, you're gonna just hang out until I talk to the big wigs and… uh, get everything figured out." He suddenly looked more convinced of his own plan, "Yeah, yeah. That's what you're gonna do. No worries."

"So you're the only one in this big organization I'm heading to that knows I'm going to be there and thinks I'm in any way useful." I huffed quietly. "Great."

"Hey, I'm higher up in this organization than you give me credit for, sweetheart."

Shockingly, I wasn't as convinced. "You said I would be a good agent." I said cautiously, "You're not expecting me to tote around a gun and do what those guys back at the clearing did, are you?" I could throw a mean punch, but firearms weren't a skill of mine. My brains always got me out of jams so I wouldn't be of much help in the field.

"No, you definitely wouldn't be a field agent," Simmons shook his head and looked like he was imagining something horrible. "That might not end so well. For you anyway. I think you'd make a great secretary and liaison for a friend of mine."

"So you're sentencing me to a life behind a desk instead of behind bars." I gave a little laugh with true humor. "Personally, I don't see the difference."

"Nah, you'll be on your feet plenty. The base is pretty big so you'll get plenty of exercise. Anyway, you're perfect for the job. I feel it in my gut."

For about another hour the car was void of conversation. The only sounds in the car were the soothing voices of the Beatles and Jimmy Buffet. This didn't bother me in the least. It was actually kind of nice not feeling like I had to keep a conversation going. Near the end of the hour the traffic on the road completely disappeared and Simmons turned the car onto another dirt road. After several minutes we were winding our way along an even narrower path through dense woods. We came to a wall of trees that blocked the path and made it utterly impassable to both vehicle and human. I don't know what grabbed my attention from the walls of wood in front of me, but something rung deep in my chest, making me look straight ahead. It felt like someone had a string tied to my sternum and was gently tugging.

I looked over at Simmons for an explanation as to why we stopped... and to distract myself from the alarmingly new feeling in my chest. I could feel my heart fluttering in my chest. _This is it,_ I think in worry. I kept feeling like something wasn't right. Like he wasn't telling me everything. I imagined he would torture me right there in the woods for information. Death I could handle. It was easy, like falling asleep. Pain was another. Ordeals with which the one escape, death, was unreachable were a hell on earth.

Simmons pressed a button I had seen before, but was unable to divine a use for on the center console. A few seconds later the ground in front of the car began to lift. I could quickly tell it was something mechanical. Within about thirty seconds a hidden tunnel, leading into darkness, was visible not ten feet in front of the SUV. I was impressed by how well the edges of the sealing piece of metal blended with the surrounding earth. I also nearly laughed with relief.

Without hesitation Simmons stepped on the gas and sent us plunging into darkness. Bright lights along the walls on either side then flashed on. The walls, ceiling, and floor were nondescript cement and the lights were nothing out of the ordinary. The tunnel went on for as far as I could see, so I settled back into my seat.

"So, how far does this tunnel go?" I asked.

"About five miles." Simmons answered proudly. I had to admit I found that less impressive than the giant camouflaged trapdoor, but still pretty cool.

We drove for about ten more minutes when I could literally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I could tell the difference between the white lights of the cement walls and the warm yellow sunshine from outside.

And there it was; an absolutely massive complex of tall and flat-roofed buildings. Very few windows were visible, making the structures seem even larger than they were. I mentally noted that the tugging in my chest was getting slightly more pronounced the closer we got to the buildings. Simmons propelled the SUV forward and along a now paved road straight through the large gate in the middle of a very tall and dangerous looking fence. Simmons stopped at the gate and armed guards in military fatigues stormed out. He causally flashed an ID and the soldier who reached the car first nodded him on. The clang of the gate unlocking and the sound of it scraping open sent me on edge.

"Ready to go in?" Simmons smiled with excitement.

_You've got to be kidding me…_


	7. Prep Team

**Author's Note:  
><strong>Wow, can you believe I actually updated?! This one was a bit boring to write so I had to push through it a bit. The next chapter will be a lot more interesting! Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<br>**

I must have looked extremely out of place amongst all those uniforms and suits. I wore a NASA t-shirt I had had since freshman year of college, jeans even Goodwill wouldn't want, and sneakers nearly on their deathbed. Fashion wasn't exactly high on the agenda at the observatory, and certainly not on my budget at the time considering scientists aren't what one would call high rollers. I had plenty of nice clothes, but those were currently tucked into my closet at home, probably miles away.

I followed Simmons closely as to not be run over by the various speeding and/or hulking military vehicles along with the ever present soldiers who never ceased to be in a controlled hurry. I glanced around, feeling rather small and claustrophobic from the large, tall, colorless buildings. There was no vegetation or even brown desert earth inside the base, but there was plenty of smooth cement everywhere.

Canvas covered trucks and camouflaged Jeeps thundered by, but what surprised me- for only a second- was the handful of flashy civilian cars scattered amongst them. It at first seemed extremely odd, but I easily realized that the men and women of the government who gave the base its marching orders had to show off somehow when they came around.

_Why not just carry a flashing sign that says "Hey, I think I'm richer and therefore better than you." over your head._ I thought with a significant degree of distaste as a watched a sleek, silver Corvette drive by, weaving through the vehicles and pedestrians with ease. I normally admired sporty cars, but in an environment like this it seemed more like a slap to the face. Something like that would have taken me (or any soldier there) at least five years to save up for if I abstained from any extra spending like food or housing.

"Take it all in, kid." Simmons turned, his tone almost a warning, "There's a lot to see."

We hadn't walked too far into the base grounds when Simmons made a sharp left turn and lead me into the largest building on the base without hesitation. I was momentarily disoriented by the dimmer light in the building due to the glaring sun outside, but I righted myself quickly. I was on edge, but I made damn sure no one could see it.

There were a few military members wandering around the large open room, but the number of people in civilian clothes astounded me. They even looked like they were in their twenties! Two men and two women stood facing one another across the room, talking casually while a few others wandered in and out of the many halls attached to the room. There was a set of couches nearby and even a flat screen with a coffee table set in front of it. The metal rafters above and sterile walls contrasted the home-like décor starkly.

"Oh, Miss Madsen?" Simmons sounded across the room with lazy authority, "Could you join us for a moment?"

"Sure." Came the somewhat confused response from the blonde woman who had turned as Simmons called her. She followed without complaint, but her eyes told me she was very unsure of the situation and of me. I couldn't say I blamed her. Everyone on the base was either in uniform or nicely dressed and here I probably looked a few degrees away from homeless.

We rounded a corner to the left, away from the large room, and made our way briskly to a room at the far end of a long hallway. Simmons seemed determined to get me out of sight as quickly as possible. The room was just as grey and bland as the hall had been, but was completely empty. I wondered what in the world had possessed Simmons to bring me and poor "Miss Madsen" there, but I wasn't in a position to argue.

"Alright, kid." Simmons looked at me seriously, "You are about to have the job interview _of your life_, but there is no way you're going in that." He gestured to my clothing with an expression of horror.

"That's where you come in, sweetheart." Simmons turned to the young woman next to me with a pointed look.

"What'd mean?" The girl inquired with a heavy Australian accent. "You want me to give her makeup and fashion tips?" I knew from her tone she meant it in a humorous way and did not mean to insult me at all.

"I can dress myself quite well, thank you very much." I crossed my arms and gave Simmons an arrogant smile.

"Yes, but you don't have any other clothes to do that, huh?" Simmons raised an eyebrow. He had me there.

"So, do you want me to let her borrow some of my stuff?" The woman suggested.

"Exactly."

"Well, that should work just fine. You're the same size as me and I always bring extra clothes in case I get anything dirty." She said with a smile and a nod.

"Wonderful!" Simmons raised his hands in the air slightly in a small celebration, "You ladies go play dress-up while I go let them know you're here."

"Them _who_?" I was confused and beginning to become irritated with all the secrecy, but my question gathered no response but a simple "good luck, ladies" from the man as he left swiftly. The other woman and I stood in bemused silence for a few moments before she turned and offered her hand.

"Hi, I'm Maggie." She gave me a wide, warm smile and I took her hand easily. I could tell she was genuinely friendly so she put me at ease. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Connie." I replied in kind, "Nice to meet you too."

"If you don't mind me asking… why did Simmons bring you here?" She asked bluntly with a shrug. "Did he saw we're hiring you?"

"Apparently." I said with ample skepticism. "And I really don't know what position I'm going to fill, but I didn't really have much choice in the matter."

"Ah, got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, huh?" She asked and I responded with a solemn nod. "Me too. At least we have something in common."

"So, I hate to start a friendship with a favor, but do you mind if I borrow some clothes?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood. Maggie looked like a model in her mini skirt, blouse, jacket, and heels so I was sure she would have something that matched my style. I may have worn comfortable clothes to work, but I kept up with the trends when I went anywhere else.

"No problem. Follow me." Maggie gestured for me to follow her out of the room with a small smile. We headed down a hallway straight ahead that ran perpendicular to the hall we had used to get to the room. It was deserted and stayed that way as we reached another door with a name tacked on it with a bronze plate. "Maggie Madsen: Computer Analyst" it read.

Maggie swung the door open, stepped across the threshold, and turned on the lights with the flick of her wrist in one smooth motion as she entered the room. It spoke volumes that she had been working there a long while and was comfortable in her office. It was large and mostly white, but her belongings added a colorful flair to the otherwise barren room. Her desk shone with a dark stain finish and her chair was shawled with coats and jackets of different dyes. Posters with data printed across them littered the walls and a cabinet filled with a rainbow of file folders sat by her workspace. There was a small cot in the corner strewn with bed sheets and various items of clothing.

From all this I got an even better look into what kind of person Maggie was. Her mess was just that- a mess- but I could tell she had a method to her madness. Most brainiacs had that barely controlled chaos trait to their workspaces which made their files and belongings a kind of personal code that no one could quite crack. The cot in the corner said more about her dedication and her workload. She had a lot to do and wasn't about to let it go undone, even at the price of a more comfortable bed for a night. Despite all the usual marks of a workaholic, her clothes and her work supplies were nearly blindingly bright and colorful in some instances, so she obviously was the friendly, happy person I met in the other room. Her office backed up all the assumptions I had made about her when I first saw her, almost drawing a small smile out of me. It felt good to know I still hadn't lost my edge _and_ that I had a least one person here who I knew was kind.

Maggie caught me eyeing the room and said almost sheepishly as she attempted to organize a few things, "Sorry for the disaster zone. It normally looks _a little_ better than this."

"Think nothing of it," I dismissed her fear with a wave, "my office is just as bad, if not worse." I stayed where I was, just a few feet from the door. I felt like I was invading her personal space if I went further into the room.

"Did they already give you one in this building?" Maggie looked pleasantly surprised as she began to dig for an outfit in a closet up against the back wall.

"Oh, no. Not here." I caught a blouse she tossed to me and held it out to look at. "I worked at an observatory before…" It was a long story and I didn't know if she if cared to hear the extended narration.

"Before Simmons happened?" She asked pointedly. I nodded in the affirmative and we both shared a small laugh. The blouse was beautiful; blue and flowy, but still professional.

"What did you do there?" She turned and walked over to hand me slacks and a matching sports jacket. "And you don't have to hide by the door. Make yourself at home."

"I was an astrobiologist there." I began to relax a bit thanks to Maggie's amicable demeanor and strode closer into the room. "I mostly worked with the other astrophysicists on research into exoplanets and sometimes meteorites, but in my free time I was looking into finding alien life, intelligent or otherwise." I couldn't help but blather on about my field. I was a hopeless geek for science and my passion had never calmed in any way.

"That's amazing!" Maggie's eye lit up with wonder, then she went silent for a few seconds as she seemed to contemplate something. "Now I can see why Simmons thought you might fit in here."

"My science background?" I was slightly unnerved by her expression.

"No." She said softly with a gentle shake of her head. "It's not just that. You just seem like the right person."

"Oh…" I really had no idea how to respond for a moment, "Thank you." I ended my statement with a genuine smile. It was obvious that Maggie had been here quite a while and if she thought I would make it in my new job then I had to start considering that might just happen. Hopefully.

"Sorry, go ahead." Maggie turned around so I could change without embarrassment. I dressed quickly and was thankful that the clothes fit wonderfully. I felt much more confident and extremely less conspicuous now that I didn't look like a broke college kid.

"All done." I waited for Maggie to turn around and lead me to wherever it was that I needed to go next.

"I've got my makeup here in the bathroom." She opened a door and revealed a small, but practical bathroom drowning in cosmetic products. "You can use anything you like."

She showed me around the room and familiarized me with all the products at my disposal. I set to work right away and was able to make myself up in my usual style. I smoothed my dark brown hair that reached a few inches past my shoulder, added some volume so it wasn't stick straight and flat, then added some curved ends. Light foundation, light powder, a touch of blush, and a good amount of mascara. The final touch was added when I was able to find the right shade of lipstick. A bold red was my signature look, one that I had sported literally for decades, and it brought me no small amount of comfort.

Having completed my beauty ritual I stepped out of the bathroom and slipped on the pair of black stilettos Maggie had left by the door. The look was complete and I felt like the professional woman I knew myself to be.

_Come hell, high water, or fucking Armageddon , I will get through this._ I thought to myself.

Maggie and Simmons were both waiting from me when I looked up from my shoes. As I started walking towards them I was met with a low whistle and an incredulous look from Simmons.

"Wow, honey." He sounded impressed and surprised, which I found a bit insulting. "You clean up well."


	8. Little Green Men

**Author's Note:** Hello guys! Wow, thanks for all the faves and follows! I really appreciate it. And thank you for the reviews, but please, please, please let me know what you specifically like about certain parts. It motivates me enormously and lets me know if I'm going in the right direction. Expect about one to two updates per month (college is busy!). Anyways, happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

Standing in the small room waiting to be interviewed, or maybe the better word would be interrogated, by people I had never met before for a job I knew nothing about with my only options being getting the job or life in prison was a bit stressful to say the least. I thanked God I had put on deodorant before I had walked over.

Maggie was gone and Simmons had left through the door opposite the one we had entered through to "let the big guys know we're here." I was left to my own devices in the completely empty and windowless room. The grey metal walls added nothing to it other than claustrophobia. My mind was flitting from one possible outcome to another before I had to force it to stop and focus on my story. I was just a normal woman who was very well-educated, hardworking, and professional. Nothing strange or abnormal other than that I had much more biology, physics, and astronomy knowledge than the average person. Despite my mental pep talk I couldn't help but feel the old paranoia creeping back.

Those first few years after my accident were… difficult. I was something close to a hermit with a tinfoil hat back then. I never saw any sign that Sector 7 following me, but I knew that that was precisely how they operated. They struck when it was least expected and they weren't the kind of people to let anything go that they considered theirs. And that included any information, artifacts, or even people that fell into their hands. Keeping low became me, became my life, and even decades later it still manifested as suspicion and avoidance in me.

Before I could fall much deeper into my worry of the past and the present, Simmons reentered the room and walked over to me. I was standing stoically with nothing but a mask for an expression, but Simmons seemed to smell something amiss right away.

"Hey, relax, sweetheart." Simmons clapped his hands on my shoulders and gave me a gentle shake. "You're gonna knock 'em dead." His voice was soft, especially considering his high volume that seemed to be his default. Damn that man. How did he see my emotions when I didn't show them? Maybe it was a lucky guess on his part. However, I was thankful for his kind words.

With a deep breath I followed closely behind Simmons as he opened the door and lead the way into the next room. We made our way through an enormous tunnel that looked like the inside of a jet engine that was open at the other end. As we neared the opening I could see that the room was actually a huge hangar-like area. The ceiling had to be about one hundred feet high and there were too many large machines and pieces of what looked like scaffolding to see either end.

But what was in the middle of the area several yards in front of me confused me to no end. Several vehicles, much like the ones I had seen outside, were grouped together with a scattering of men and women in black suits wandering around. What was this, an auto show?

"Over here." Simmons gestured for me to follow closer until we were only about ten feet from the vehicles. The largest and most intimidating looking vehicle was a large, blue Peterbilt semi with red flames. Beside it to my left was a black Chevy Topkick, an almost equally huge truck with large silver stacks much like the semi. A neon yellow Hummer rescue vehicle sat parked on the other side of the trailer truck and a bright yellow Camaro with black racing stripes stood next to the Topkick.

_Either these guys are really trying to impress me_, and I couldn't fathom why, _or something very strange is going on._

I stayed silent as I waited for Simmons or someone else to explain the situation since the suits standing along the sides seemed uninterested or uninvolved.

"Hello, gentlemen." Simmons said towards the cluster of vehicles before us as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "This is the young woman I told you about earlier."

I could only stare in absolute bewilderment as it appeared that he was taking to the cars. At first I simply assumed that these strange people I was about to meet were sitting in the cars, but it became apparent quickly that no one was in them with a quick look through the windshields.

"Simmons, what are you…?" Before I could finish I noticed the look on Simmons' face. His expression said 'give me a second' and I obliged.

My attention was drawn forward by a strange sound, something electric, mechanical, and biological all in one. My ears were bombarded by overlapping waves of humming and clicks and my eyes took in the sight before me. The vehicles were folding and reforming in such intricate patterns and that it was hard to track it all. The almost acrobatic and incredibly graceful movements had me transfixed. Within seconds the mechanical oddities before me were standing upright and had taken on astoundingly tall humanoid forms. The largest had to be a little over thirty feet.

I was being stared at by four large robotic beings with glowing blue eyes before I was even sure of what was going on. My head felt as if it was floating miles above me and I feared I might faint, but refused to allow myself to show such weakness. I grounded myself and inhaled deeply, forcing oxygen to my brain so I could fight off the darkness growing at the corners of my vision.

"Need a chair, sweetheart?" Simmons' voice barely registered next to me, but I could still hear the amusement in his voice.

"I'm fine." I managed to mumble back as I was too preoccupied by the wonder of a sight before me. Never before had I been in such stunned awe.

"Hello, Ms. Ambrosius." The being that used to be the blue Peterbilt spoke as he crouched down on one knee so he was at my eye level. "My name is Optimus Prime. I am the leader of the Autobots, and these are a few of my men; Ratchet, our medical officer, Ironhide, our weapons specialist, and Bumblebee, one of our soldiers." The large mechanical man gestured to the beings on either side of himself; the Hummer, the Topkick, and the Camaro respectively. His sudden closeness frightened me, but I refused to let it show.

It took me a few seconds to realize that I was staring at the group before me with my jaw clenched shut. Embarrassed at having forgotten myself, I tried to think of a proper response.

"H-hello." I tried to keep my voice strong and loud enough to be heard and was very pleased with the result.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure you're very confused as to why you're here, so you may ask any question you like."

"I might have a few." I nod slowly in thought. "What are you? Where are you from? Why are you here?" I listed them off mildly as examples, but truly hoped for an answer. I had already formed theories in my head, but I wanted to know for sure. These beings were definitely not man-made, that much was for certain, but where did they come from? The one named Optimus was still knelt before me so I could see in his expression that he was in no way bothered by my inquiries.

"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron. And we came to this planet to protect it and a precious artifact we sought from falling into the hands of our enemies, the Decepticons." His concise description seemed logical. Despite that, I grew a small smile, hiding the exalting, overwhelming joy I felt inside. Aliens! They were aliens! Years of my life's work had been devoted to finding these intelligent beings from the stars and here they were already here. If an advanced race could reach us, it made sense that at least a good number of them would be peaceful. And why else would such a race visit a primitive planet like earth unless they had to? But I was ever so thankful they stayed.

"Do you come here in peace?" I asked in an even tone. I prayed to God I wasn't in the middle of a rather diplomatic invasion of earth.

"Yes." Optimus nodded solemnly. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. We have promised to protect this world and its people, and in return your government allows us to stay here." This took a large weight off my heart. I had begun to worry about what I had gotten myself into, but this alien being had made it known in no uncertain terms that they were here to help, not harm.

"I thought you said I wasn't going to be working with aliens." I turned to Simmons with a look of suspicion and taunting.

"No, no, no." He wagged his finger as if chastising a small child. "I said you wouldn't be working with little green men. As you can see they are neither small nor green." I rolled my eyes at him in exasperation. This man was impossible and I thanked my lucky stars I would be working closely with someone else and not him. I realized if I did work with his extensively I still might end up in jail, this time for murder. Against all the odds though, he did seem to have a good heart under all the crazy.

"Now, I think we should get down to business." Optimus raised himself back up to his feet. "Do you mind if we ask you questions of our own? We thought an interview would be in order."

"Sure, but may I ask what position I'm being interviewed for?" I asked as politely and smoothly as I could. It was a question that could easily be mistaken as a sarcastic remark.

"Of course." Optimus spoke. "I am in need of a liaison. I speak with many human contacts almost every day and a well-educated woman such as yourself who understands both human and possible extraterrestrial biology and culture could help us bridge many gaps. We all try to avoid misunderstandings and understand one another's point of view, but that is usually easier said than done, despite our many similarities. Are you interested in this position?"

"I very much think so." I wanted to mention that I really had no other choice, but restrained myself. This alien, Optimus, had only known me for a few minutes and seemed to be trying to make sure I was comfortable with them and the situation. It was very generous and kind so I made sure to return the favor.

"Good." He seemed pleased with my answer. Simmons led me over to one of the tall raised walkways. Once I reached the top I was at eye level with all the Autobots around me and ready for the interview of my life.

_God help me._ I thought with equal parts humor and dread.


End file.
